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North Carolina compliance official latest to resign

One of North Carolina's top officials for NCAA rules compliance has resigned effective Friday – the latest Tar Heels official to step down amid the controversy that has engulfed the department the last two years. Amy Herman had been with UNC since 2002.

One of North Carolina's top officials for NCAA rules compliance has resigned effective Friday – the latest Tar Heels official to step down amid the controversy that has engulfed the department the last two years.

Department spokesman Steve Kirschner said Amy Herman's resignation was not related to the school's NCAA probation in football, or the ongoing review of the academic fraud allegations.

"It's not related to the previous NCAA investigation, and it's not related to the academic review that's going on," Kirschner said. "It's not related to anything. She just decided to step down for personal reasons."

Herman declined to address her reasons for leaving when contacted by USA TODAY Sports.

"While I appreciate your interest in the reasons for my departure, I will just say that I have enjoyed serving the UNC community over the past 12 years, and I am proud of all we have accomplished," Herman replied in an email. "I wish the Department of Athletics the very best moving forward."

Kirschner said he was unaware of Herman's future plans.

Herman began working in the UNC compliance office as an intern in 2000, then was promoted a few times until she took over as head of the compliance staff in February 2011. In July, UNC hired a new top compliance official to oversee her and the rest of the staff as part of a larger administrative restructuring.

In March, the NCAA found that UNC football players had accepted more than $27,000 in impermissible benefits from sports agents or their representatives. The NCAA also found the university had failed to monitor its football program and that a tutor had committed academic fraud by completing class work for players.

The school was banned from the 2012 postseason and placed on three years' probation.

Other independent investigations into academic fraud remain ongoing.

UNC Chancellor Holden Thorp previously announced he would resign at the end of the academic year. Additionally, the university's top fundraiser, Matt Kupec, resigned earlier this year after an independent investigation determined he had charged questionable travel expenses to the university along with Tami Hansbrough, mother of former UNC basketball player Tyler Hansbrough. Tami Hansbrough, a UNC gifts officer, also resigned.

Herman was among those who reviewed those trips and determined they were not NCAA violations.